to reach into corners and confined spaces, a feature unique to this type of power tool. The saw blade attachments use the angle of oscillation in the same way, particularly the circular-shaped saw used in hospitals to cut the orthopedic plaster used in cases of bone fracture, once the immobilization time is over. The oscillating blade does not clear swarf in the same way as a rotating blade, so it is necessary to move the tool back and forth to allow accumulated sawdust to clear from the cutting area. Improvements in battery technology such as lithium-ion battery have allowed for tools which can be small in size and weight but still perform well enough to compete with mains-powered equivalents while freeing the user from the restrictions of cables. Blades and accessories Various attachments and blades are on the market, giving these machines a wide variety of uses. The blades can be separated into 5 main categories: cutting, (tile, grout & masonry), sanding, scraping, and polishing. Cutting blades are standard saw blades with various tooth configurations for cutting different material. They are either straight blades with the teeth on the end, allowing the user to "plunge cut" directly into the material they are cutting, or circular blades. Bi-metal blades offer smaller hardened teeth that allow the user to cut soft metals and the popular Japan tooth blades have large teeth that cut wood quickly but cannot cut metal Tile, grout, and masonry attachments are either carbide or diamond coated and allow the user to clear grout between tiles or do light masonry work. Standard sanding attachments allow the user to sand flat surfaces and specialty attachments such as the profile sanding kit allow detailed profile sanding work to be done. Polishing is possible with the help of polishing pad attachments that are becoming more popular. The arbor attachment on all machines has varied widely since these machines started production, with many machines using a proprietary arbor configuration. Many after-market blade companies have created universal arbor attachments that are compatible with most, but not all, oscillating multi-tool machines. The Starlock interface was launched by tool manufacturer Robert Bosch GmbH and Fein. The interface is compatible with a number of other manufacturers. See also Fein Multimaster RS, a well known oscillating multitool whose patent expired in 2008 Cast saw Die grinder References External links The Family Handyman - Popular uses for the oscillating